Process and apparatus for treating poultry



July 1, 1947.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING POULTRY Filed Jan. 21, 1943 01/11/1117IIIII// fZmerM Davis INVENTOR ammy;

ATTORNEY 1 M. DAVIS 2,423,299

Patented July 1, 1947 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING POULTRY ElmerM. Davis, St. Paul, Minn, assignor to Industrial Patents Corporation,Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Delaware Application January 21, 1943, Serial No. 473,047

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for treating poultry.More particularly, it relates to a process and apparatus for removingundesirable deposits from the fore-alimentary tracts of poultry.

The presence of undigested feed in the crops of poultry has createdconsiderable diniculties incidental to marketing the poultry because theweight of this feed tends to increase the weight of the poultry.Furthermore, undigested feed in the crops of slaughtered poultry issubject to rapid putrefaction which gives rise to undesirable odors anddetracts from the salability of the poultry. These undesirable factorshave given rise to requirements on the part of inspection agencies thatthe feed be removed from the crops of slaughtered poultry. The onlyknown way of removing such undigested reed, however, was to manuallypress upon the crop of each bird in an efiort to expel the feed throughthe throat and mouth, This has not been entirely satisfactory because ithas been impossible to remove all of the undigested feed in this mannerand the throat and mouth of a bird so treated is considerably fouled andcreates an unattractive condition. Furthermore, there is a tendency forslaughtered and undressed poultry to bleed at the mouth due to depositsof blood in the throat and mouth and there has been no means of removingthese undesirable blood deposits heretofore.

In an effort to overcome at least partof these undesirable conditions,it has been suggested that the crops of slaughtered poultry be removedby making an incision in the body of each bird adjacent the crop andextracting the crop through the incision. In addition to being timeconsuming, such an operation would decrease the weight of each bird bythe weight of the crop and would thereby prohibitively increase theexpense. Also, each bird would be left with an open incision which wouldcollect dirt and spoil its appearance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process andapparatus for removin undigested feed from the crops of oultry.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a process forconditioning poultry so as to avoid seepage of blood from the mouths ofpoultry during shipping and handling.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process andapparatus for removing deposits from the fore-alimentary tracts ofpoultry.

Other objects and advantages will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relationof one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and theapparatus embodying features of construction, combinations of elementsand arrangements of parts which are adapted to efiect such steps, all asexemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of theinvention will be indicated in the claims.

The process of the invention in general comprises inserting a suctionapplying tube through the mouth and throat of a slaughtered bird intothe crop while applying suction to the tube, scraping the throat of thebird during injection of the tube and to withdraw all materials from thecrop, and withdrawing the tube through the throat of the bird whilestill applying the suction to effectively clean the throat and mouth andthereby remove'all blood deposits accumulated in these members.

The apparatus of the present invention in general comprises a suctionnozzle capable of being projected through the mouth and throat and intothe crop of a bird, and means for applying suction to the nozzle.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a suction applying nozzle forcarrying out the process of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of an elementof the suctionnozzle,

Fig. 3 is a view of the suction nozzle while inserted within the crop ofa bird so as to remove the undigested feed, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the complete apparatus which is used tocarryout the process of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the suction nozzle comprises a substantiallyT-shaped fitting 6 which has a tube 8 securely fastened in one of thearms thereof in. any desired manner, for example, as by soldering. Theopposite arm of the T-fitting 6 is. closed by a suitable plug Ill whichmay be screwed or otherwise fastened in place. The tube 8 is open at theend I2 opposite from the, end which is fastened to the T-connection 6.

A second tube I4 having a bore of sufficient diameter to receive thetube 8 and leave a small space'between the exterior ofthe tube 8 and theinterior of the bore is also suitably connected to the T-connection 6 asby solderin or preferably by being interiorly threaded to receive athreaded sleeve l carried by the tube 8. The tube I4 is provided with aclosure l6 suitably fastened in the end opposite to that which isconnected to the T-connection 5 and the closure I6 is preferablyconically shaped as illustrated. The tube I4 isalso provided withopenings I B, of which there may be four or more, disposed around theperiphery of tube l4 adjacent the open end of tube 8.

The leg of the T-connection 6 is suitably connected to a flexible airhose 22 by any suitable means, for example, by means of a nipple 24suitably connected within the leg 20 and a clamping band 26 whichsurrounds the hose'22 when the nipple 24 is inserted within the end ofthe hose so as to clamp the hose between the nipple and clampingring.

A valve 28 is disposed on thetube I4 adjacent the T-connection '6. Thevalve 28 comprises a sleeve 30 connected to an inner sleeve 32 b a *web34. The sleeve 32 is provided with a plurality of openings 36 whichcooperate with a similar number of openings 38 in the tube l4. When thesleeve 30 is rotated so that the openings 36 and 38 are in registry, thevalve is in open position and whenthe sleeve 30 is rotated so as to movethe openings '36 out of registry with the openings 38 the valve isclosed. The valve 28 is fastened on the tube l4 for rotation thereaboutbut prevented from movement'therealong by an arcuate flange 40 suitablycarried by the web 34 and provided with an arcuate slot 42 whichreceives a screw 44. partially threaded into the tube M. Thisarrangement permits the valve 28 to be rotated ,to either open or closedposition and to substantially any position therebetween so as to producea throttling action on the air drawn into the tube through the openings36-38 to thereby vary the suction pressure at the openings l8.

Referring to Fig. 4, the nozzle 5 is shown with the flexible hose 22connected to a suitable collecting tank 46. A valve 48 placed in theflexible hose 22 permits the suction to be turned on and off as desired.The collecting tank 46 is provided with suitable clean-out openings (notshown) and is connected through a suitable air line 50 to a vacuum pump52 of any desired design. A filter 54 is suitably connected in the airline 50 to prevent any solid matter from inadvertently passing from thecollecting tank to the vacuum pump 52.

In carrying out the process of the present invention, the bird to betreated, illustrated at 56 in Fig. 3, is supported on any suitable rackor table and is grasped by the head with one hand by the operator andthe mouth opened and the nozzle 5 passed through the mouth and down thethroat and into the crop of the bird. The amount of air which ispermitted to pass into the tubing I4 through the valve 28 is determinedby trial so as to exert the maximum suction possible without tearing thelining of the throat or of the crop. The air is turned on by the valve48 just before the nozzle 5 is passed into the mouth of the bird so thatblood deposits are removed from the mouth and throat and the throat isscraped clean of all deposits as the tubing I4 passes down the throatofthe bird. This scraping action is accomplished by the end of the tubeas it opens up the throat passage, and also the scraping action iscontinued by the frictional engagement which exists between the wall ofthe tube'and 4 the Walls of the mouth and throat of the bird. As soon asthe end l6 of the nozzle reaches the crop the undigested feed thereinwill be sucked out and carried through the tubing 8 and the flexiblehose 22 to the collecting tank 46. The suction pressure is permitted toremain on while the'nozzle is being withdrawn from the crop and throatso as to remove any deposits which are scraped loose during the entry ofthe nozzle into the mouth and throat.

The process and apparatus of the present invention make it possible torapidly and completely remove all matter from the crops of slaughteredpoultry and to remove all blood deposits from the throats and heads ofthe poultry, thereby placing the slaughtered poultry in condition tocreate an attractive appearance for marketing and to be free from theexcess Weight caused by feed in the crop.

The apparatus is simple in nature so that it does not readily get out oforder, and the nozzle can be rapidly cleaned by removing the plug l0 andthe tube l4 and/or by passing water or a soapy cleaning solution throughthe openings l8 while the suction is turned on. The apparatus does notrequire the services of a highly skilled operator but can be readilyused by unskilled operators so that the use of the present inventiondoes not add to the cost of merchandising poultry.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1, The process of treating poultry comprising simultaneously opening themouth and throat tract, scraping the interior of the throat of thepoultry by deflecting the walls of the tract around the end of the tubeduring insertion, and applyin suction thereto.

2. The processor? treating poultry comprising scraping the interior ofthe throat of a slaughtered bird While applying suction thereto andthereafter applying suction to the interior of the crop to draw thecontents therefrom.

3. The process of treating poultry comprising progressively scraping thewalls of the mouth and throat of a bird by passing a suction nozzlethrough the-mouth and throat of a bird to scrape out and remove alldeposits therefrom, applying the suction to the walls of the mouth andthroat substantially at the zone where the scraping is performed, andthereafter passing the end of the nozzle into the crop and withdrawingthe contents therefrom.

4. The process of treating poultry comprising inserting a suctionapplying nozzle through the mouth and throat of a slaughtered bird toscrape and remove deposits therefrom and then passing the nozzle intothe crop to remove the contents therefrom and thereafter Withdrawing thenozzle so as to remove any deposits scraped loose from the throat andmouth by the entry of the nozzle therein.

5. An apparatus for treating poultry which comprises a suction nozzlehaving an extended tube thereon for insertion through the mouth andthroat of a bird into the crop thereof, said tube having a diameterapproximately equal to that of the fore-alimentary tract of the poultrybeing treated and having a relatively sharply defined shoulder at itsforward end over which the walls of the tract are deflected as the tubeis inserted into the tract, and the tube having openings near itsextremity, said tube being configured to scrape the walls of the mouthand throat as it moves relative thereto, and means for applying suctionto the nozzle so as to withdraw material from the crop through saidopenings.

6. An apparatus for treating poultry which comprises a suction nozzleprovided with an extended tube having openings near the outer endthereof and capable of being inserted through the mouth and throat of apoultry product, said tube having a diameter approximately equal to thatof the fore-alimentary tract of the poultry product being treated andhaving a relatively sharply defined shoulder at its forward end overwhich the walls of the tract are deflected as the tube is insertedthrough the mouth and throat of the poultry product, said tube beingconfigured to scrape the walls of the mouth and throat as it movesrelative thereto, said openings in the tube near the outer end beingpositioned with respect to the configuration and shoulder of the tube topresent suction against the walls substantially simultaneously with thescraping thereof, and means for applying suction to the nozzle.

7. An apparatus for treating poultry which comprises a suction nozzleprovided with an extended tube having openings near the outer endthereof and capable of being inserted through the mouth and throat of apoultry product, said tube having a diameter approximately equal to thatof the fore-alimentary tract of the poultry product being treated andhaving a relatively sharply defined shoulder at its forward end overwhich the walls of the tract are deflected as the tube is insertedthrough the mouth and throat of the poultry product, said tube beingconfigured to scrape the walls of the mouth and throat as it movesrelative thereto, said openings in the tube near the outer end beingpositioned with respect to the configuration of the tube to presentsuction against the walls substantially simultaneously with the scrapingthereof, and means for producing and controlling the application ofsuction at the nozzle.

8. The process of treating poultry comprising,

opening the mouth and throat of the poultry by inserting a tube into thefore-alimentary tract of said poultry, causing the walls of the tract todefiect sharply around the end of said tube to scrape deposits loosefrom the walls, and applying suction to the tube to effect a removal ofdeposits scraped free from the walls of said tract,

ELMER M. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

